Eraser cleaner



J. F. PALMER Nov. 14, 1933.

ERASER CLEANER Filed Oct. 14, 1931 Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED-STATES 1,935,256 ERASER oLmNEn .lohn Frederick'Palmer, -Milwaukee,.Wis.- I

A'pplicationOctober 14, 1931. Serial No. 568,762

Claims. (01. 1515) This invention appertains to a novel device for cleaning blackboard erasers, and is an improvement over my prior Patent #l,757,545 granted to me on May 6th, 1930.

In thev cleaning of blackboard erasersconsiderable difiiculty is experienced in the removal of all of the chalk dust therefrom.

It has been found that a vacuum means is an ideal method of removing the chalk dust from the erasers, but even with the use of such an appliance, the chalk dust, particularly between the plies or strips of the wiping or erasing felts of some erasers is not all removed.

It is, therefore, a prime object of my invention to provide a novel device incorporated with a vacuum eraser cleaner for spreading the felts of the eraser, so as to permit the vacuum or suction to operate effectively on the felts for removing all of the chalk dust. I i l i Another prime object of my invention is the provision'of a suction finger forming a part of therefrom.

the eraser vacuum cleaner and carriedby the cleaner table, the suction finger being insertible between the cleaning or wiping felts of the erasers for effectively removing all of the dust A- further salient object ofmy invention is the provision of means for'adjustably mounting the suction finger, whereby the active'height of the 1 same can be readily regulated relative to the cleaning table, so that the finger can be positioned for most eflicientlyoperating on felts of diiferent heights, as the erasers wear. incident to continuous useythe suction finger being so 5 mounted as to permit the same to bejswung entirely below the cleaning table, when erasers are being cleaned, which do not require use of the suction finger. Y

A further important object of my invention is .l the provision of a cleaning table provided with novelly arranged suction openings, with deflecting ribs for the cleaning felts of aneraser formed thereon and arranged adjacent to the suction openings, whereby when theerasers are drawn over the table, the ribs will serve as an effective means for deflecting the cleaning felts of the eraser and loosening the chalk dust therefrom, so as to permit the efiicient removal of the dust from the eraser by the vacuum or suction means.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a vacuum cleaner for blackboard erasers of the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed 3; and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which: I

- Figure 1 is'a'sectional view throughthe suction chamber of an eraser cleaner, constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrating the suction or vacuum finger incorporated therewith; i Figure 2 is a transverse section through the suction chamber taken at right angles to Figure l, and showing the suction or vacuum finger, in r7 its operative position;

Figure 3 is atop plan view of the eraser cleaning table, with the vacuum or suctionfinger;

Figure 4 is a detailed transverse section through the vacuum or suction finger;

Figure 5 is a plan view of one type of black-'- board eraser for whichthe present invention is adapted.

Referring now more particularly to the ac companying drawing, the numeral 1 designates a suction fan casing provided with the legs 2 adapted to beseoured to any suitable support. The usual discharge spout 3, communicating with the fan'casing, may be providedwith a conventional dust bag, or hose, not shown; Projecting from the fan casing 1 is a housing 4,forming a suction chamber 5, which communicates with the fan casing through the opening 6; The housing 4 is flared and openat the top, and'has secured theretoa table -7,' which forms a closure therefor. I I W v 5 As best shown in Figure'3, the table '7 is pro-' vided with transverse slots 8 adjacent its ends, and intermediate the transverse slots are the spaced longitudinal slots 9. The transverse ribs orprojections 10, formed on the table adjacent the ends of the longitudinal slots, serve to engage thesurface of an eraser as the same is longi-- tudinally reciprocated across the face of the table, thus loosening the dust upon the face of the eraser, which is then drawn through the transverse and longitudinal'slots 8 and 10, respectively. Y While there are various structures of blackboard erasers, the majority of those in use at the present time are made up of longitudinal strips or felt secured to a back, such as shown inFigure 5, and while cleaners of the general type disclosed in the aforesaid patent and illustrated in con- A shown in the drawing, the finger or tongue p 7 5 14, adapted to engage the pin 15 carried by spaced ears 16 serving to straddle the latch bar, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2, thus guiding and preventing tilting of the latch bar, as the same is re-" ciprocated. A spring 17, connected with one of the ears 16 and the housing 4, serves to normally hold the suction finger into. engagement with a the latch bar.

As best shown in Figure 1, the latch baris slidably mounted within openings in the housing 4, and one of the ends is provided with a manipulating button: 18. Movement of the latch bar is limited by means of cotter pin 19.

Inoperation, an eraser is positioned upon the table, as indicated indotted lines in Figure 2, and asthe same is reciprocated longitudinally across the table, the dust in the surface of the eraser is loosened and drawn through the slots of the table; When itis desired to remove dust from between the foldsor cleaning felts of the eraser, thesuctionfinger 11, which is normally retracted within the suction chamber. 5, may beprojected to any: desired height by means of the latch bar 13, and in its projected position, the finger, which is comparatively thin in cross section and tapered inwardly atxits top edge,:is readily-projected between the folds or felts of the eraser, and being in communication with the suction chamber the dust between and within the cleaning or wiping felts will be drawn through the finger and discharged through the fan casing. Obviously the adjustment of the finger not only permits the same. to be retracted when desired, but also compensatesfor erasers of various heights.

The suction finger 11 formsan admirable means forspreading the felts, so as to permit the suctionto. effectively: operate on the erasers.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the-drawing, it will be readily seen that an extremely simple and efiicientdevice has been provided, which materially reduces the cost of manufacture and increases the efficiency of a conventional suction cleaner and provides for the removal of dust heretofore inaccessible, but highly objectionable, -due to the fact that the same eventually Works out of theeraser when in use.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention-,butwhat I claim as new is.

I claim: I

1. Ina blackboard erasercleanen-a suction housing havinga cleaning table provided with suction openings communicating with the-interior of the suction housing, and a suction finger, projecting through the cleaning table and communicating with the suction housing.

2. In a suction cleaner for blackboard erasers, a. suction housing, a cleaning table for receiving the erasers forming a part of said housing and having suction openings therein communicating with the interior of the housing. and an adjustable suction finger movable through the, cleaning table.

3. In a vacuum cleaner for blackboard erasers,

a housing, means for creating a suction in said housing, a table top for the housing over which the erasers to be cleaned are drawn, said housing being provided with a series of transverse suction openings and a series of longitudinally extending suction openings, and upstanding deflect- 1 ing. ribs for the wiping felts of an eraser carried by the table top and arranged between certain of the suction openings.

4. In a suction cleaner a body having a suction chamber and a table provided with openings come municating with the suction chamber, suction means projecting through one of said openings from the chamber for engagement between the felts of an eraser to remove the dust therefrom.

. asuction chamber and a table provided with openings communicating therewith, suction means projecting through one of said :openings from the chamber for engaging between the felts i of an eraser to remove the dustpthereirom, and means for adjusting the amount of projection of said means.

7. In a suction eraser cleaner, a suction chamber and av table provided withopenings communicating with the suction chamben'hollow means projecting through one of said openings and com municating with the suction chamber of. the cleaner for engaging between the felts of an eraser to remove the dust therefrom, and means for adjusting the. amount of projection ofz'said hollow means.

8. In asuction eraser cleaner, a'body-having. a suction chamber, a table provided with openings communicating with the chamber, ahollow'suction finger for projection through one of said openings, and means for adjusting the projection of said suction finger. J V

9. In a suctioneraser cleaner, a body having a suction chamber and a table provided withopenings communicating therewith, a hollow suction finger pivotally carried by said tablefon-proj ection through one of said openings and meansf'or adjusting the projection of said finger. I a 10. In a suction eraser cleaner, a suction housing having a table'mounted thereon and provided with openings, a hollow suction finger pivotally jection through one of said openings, and'a stepped latch bar for; engaging said finger for adjustingitsposition with relation to'said table.

12. A suction eraser cleaner comprising a housing having a suction chamber, atable mounted on said housing and, provided with openings com municating with the suction chamber, transversewebs formed on saidtable-adjacent said openings, and means projecting through one of said openings for engaging between the wiping felts of an eraser to remove the dust-therefrom.

JOHN FREDERICK PALMER. 

